85-OmSO ,UT ON
A RESOLUTION OF T~E CITY GOUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, URGING THE STATE
OF FLORIDA NOT TO CLOSE THE ~ LEARNING
CENTER AT 20,000 NW 47th AVENUE, MIAMI,
FLORIDA 33055
WHEREAS, a proposal has been set forth to close the landmark
Learning Center for the Developmentally Disabled; and
WHEREAS, the Landmark Learning Center has shown itself to provide
quality care to its almost 400 residents the vast majority or approximately
95% of who are severely/profoundly retarded and multiply handicapped; and
WHEREAS, safe, secure and high quality services to these clients
in group home settings has not been provided; and
WHEREAS, this is a sociological problem that is not going to go
away; and
WHEREAS, the mentally retarded will continue to be born, and will
require their own specialized services and facilities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY O0UNCIL
OF THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA:
Section 1. That the City Council of the City of Boynton Beach
requests Governor Graham, David Pingree, Secretary of the Department of
Health and Rehabilitative Services, and the members of the Florida
Legislature consider keeping open this essential comaunity center for all
of the developmentally disabled.
PASSED and ADOPTED this
1985.
day of ~~ ,
CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA
M~yor ~ ~/
Vice Mayor
ATTEST: ~
-
(C°~o~ate Seal)
]EVELnpMEFITAL HANDICAPS
1[)85 I.EGISLATIVI'; POSITION PAt>ER
ADMINISTRATOR
HELENE J. GOOD, M.S.W.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
KEVlN SMITH
President
JOAN L. BORNSTEIN, Ph.D.
First Vice. President
HENRY C. STERNER, D.P.A.
Second Vice-President
MARK CHERNY, A.C.S.W.
Secretary
MARGARET HARTIG
Treasurer
WILLIAM C. FERRIS A.C.S.W.
Immediate Past President
ADVISORY BOARD
AMELIA E. BATURA, R.N., B.S.N., M.Ed.
MICHAEL P. CONNOLLY, Ph.D., L.C.S.W.
HERBERT M. DANDES, Ph.D.
SENATOR ROBERTA FOX
B.L, SCOTTIE McGREGOR
PETER PARASKEVA, Ed.D.
HOWA~RD ROSENBERG, Ed.D.
JAY A. STEINBERG
BRADLEY S. WEISS
This year, as every year, the.Florida legislature Wiil
be asked to address an array of serious issues pertain-
ing to the State's developmentally disabled citizens.
Two issues in particular are of such paramount concern
this year, that we have chosen to limit our.position
paper to these critical areas..' .:' '
PROPOSAL TO CLOSE LANDmaRK LEARNING CENTER
Two years ago, the Florida Legislature mandated the
closing of another developmental services institution.
During the 1984 legislative session, .it requested that
a study be conducted to produce recommendations on which
of the existing institutions to close during the 1985 -
1987 biennium. The recommendation of the outside con-
suiting firm hired to perform this study was that Dad~
County's Landmark Learning Center be closed within the
next two years. The Community Committee for Developmen-
tal Handicaps, Inc. (CCDIIR) strongly opposes this rec-
ommendation.
The Florida Legislature has shown great concern and
leadership by passing legislation calling for the con-
tinued deinstitutionalization of this state,s develop-
mentally disabled citizens. The continuum of care phil-
osophy, shared by us all, recognizes the need to plact:
clients in the most appropriate and least restrictive
environment possible ranging from one offering the ty[es
of services offered by Landmark, to independent liviag
within the community. It is the opinion of many pro-
fessionals, as well as families, that a certain portion
of developmentally disabled persons will always need co
reside in an intensely structured Setting, and'that these
individuals would not benefit from less structured sur-
roundings. ~hile some believe that ideally these in-
dividuals could be served in a number of smaller facil-
ities better integrated into the community, rather than
a single large one relatively isolated from the comm-~-
nity in which it is located, the consideration of such un
option-would have to be linked to addr%ssing current wait-
ing lists and insuring that appropriate alternativet were
in.place prior to the closing of any facility.
There are over 250 clients on the Department of llealtn
and Rehabilitative Services's (ltRS) waiting Ii. st in need
of community residential placements in Dade County today,
and thc m~mber increases daily. Without adequate finan-
2600 S, W. Second Avenue · Miami, Florida 33129 · Phone (305} 285-9050
cial resources to implement community based programs, calling for continued
dcinstitutionalizat]on is doomed to failure. The legislature has not been
forthco.ting wilh sufficient f,mds, and in light of its current composition
ami climate, a sig,~ificant dclmrture from ~hat l,olicy this year does not
seem likely. It should also be noted that the numbers captured by HRS's
Client Information System (CIS) do not begin to reflect the true number of
individuals in need of services. The tis figures reflect only those people
who have successfully negotiated the extremely long and complex process of
~eing determined eligible for HR$ services. Hundreds, perhaps thousands,
of others are unaware of services, unable to negotiate the system, discour-
aged by long waiting lists from applying, etc. For some, no appropriate community
resources exist. And still yet others, whose parents have ~ept them at home
over the years but are now'too old or too sick to care for them any longer,
find themselves denied access to the system.
Money, however, is not the only factor which makes the recommendation to close
.tile Landmark Learning Center within two years an unrealistic one. Histori-
cally, communities around the state, including in South Florida, have been
vehemently opposed to allowing zoning, for small group homes. There is no pen-
'alty for these municipalities' which continually act in defiance of a state
'law requiring them to p=ovide zoning for such homes. Further, there are few,
-,if any, community facilities geared to address the very specific and complex
needs of many of Landmark's residents. Ninety percent of Landmark's 400 res-
idents are severely profoundly retarded with multiple handicaps including
severe medical problems, behavioral problems, and mental illnesses.
While there are numerous questions to answer before the recommendation to
close the Landmark Learning Center can be considered, certain things are
clear. The proposal to close 'Landmark within two years is ~otally unreal-
istic. Given the restraints outlined above, the alternate recommendation
to extend the deadline to four years may also be an improbable one. The
study must be reexamined in light of both client interests and cost. There
must be a thoughtful, coordinated and well-financed plan which provides
adequate time for transition and the development of appropriate alternatives
'for those who can benefit from them.
WORKLOAD AND PRICE LEVEL INCREASES
Tile state of Florida is one of the fastest growing states in the country,
and Dade Count7 one Of. the fastest growing counties in the State. Our
populafion of developmentally disabled citizens in need of services is
increasing proportionately.
Hnlike most other types of clients who enter the system, receive services
.or treatment, and exit the system "better", a developmentally disabled
person is in need of services throughout his or her lifetime. Exiting the
system usually occurs only through death or moving from the~area.
Unconscionably long wai~iBg lists exist fOr residential placements, day
treatment programs, and support services. The number of citizens in actual
need of services far exceeds even those designated on HRS's Client Infor-
mation SYstem (CIS). The CIS figures reflect only those people who have-
succe:;s£ully negotiated the extremely lo,g and con,t~lex process of being
determined eligible for IIRS services. Ihmdreds, l,,,rhaps thousands, o£
others are unaware of services, unable to negot iai,- the system,and dis-
court, ged by long waiting lists from applying.
In addition to the need for additional dollars to provide more slots
for conununity services, there is also a serious need to fund additional
tlRS positions. In Dade County, an ItRS social worker may carry a load
of 130 to 180 cases despite budget requests that would reduce them to
the still too high figure of 10S.
The cost of providing quality services continues to rise at a much higher
rate than annual price level 'increases. ~uring the current 1984-1985
fiscal year, agencies in District XI received an average price level in-
crease of 3.5%. Quality services are contingent upon adequate funding,
and as allocations for social programs have become tighter each year,
competition for private sector contributions has become intense, with
such donations never being received in amounts sufficient to make up the
difference.
To the extent that the State of Florida is committed to providing quality
services to its developmentally disabled citizens, it must provide ade-
quate financial resources both to address waiting lists (workload increases)
and the ever increasing cost of providing them (price level increases).
Saturday, February 9. 1985
The Miami News ® 15A
~ · The/V~iarnt News - JEFF WIDENER
Parents of L~ndmark Learning Center residents stuff envelopes es part of a campaign ..'
to keep the ce~nter.., *.. open,~ ..... · ,.. ...... -~,*,.-'~,' ...... -'; ·
.Parents'ifight against closing'
Landmark center'for, re arded
ELLEN HAMPTON '
MIami Nel~t Re~Nl~' .~ ,,'~ - _'. . ..
Nearly 400 severely retarded c'hildren and adults
who live at the Landmark Learning Center in
Opa-locka would be transferred to smaller group
homes under a plan mandated by the state Legisla-
ture and hotly contested by parents of the center's
clientele. ,,
A group of some 20 parents met yesterday at'the
center at 20000 N.W. 47th Ave. to draw up peti-
tions and address lefters, the first salvo in a fierce
campaign they plan to wage to keep the 20-yeaz-.
old center open.
The Legislature mandated in the 1984 Appropri-
ations Act that one of four state.run institutions for
the retarded be closed by 1987. An accounting firm
was contracted to analyze which of the centers, in
Gatnesvilte. Fort Myers. Martanna or Opa-locka.
should go. The Landmark Center was tagged.
Llnda Berkowitz, district director for state
Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS), said the
Legislature Is following t belief that better care can
:'There is none better." "' · "' ~ ,
Berkowitz agreed. She said Landniark Center
has evolved into one of the most progressive, Inno-
vative centers in the state.
· Some of the clients might I~e better ~erved ~n a
large institution such as Landmark. Berkowitz said,
.but others would be fine in a group home.
But the Legislature's mandate of closing Land-
mark within two years is not enough time to set up
the group homes needed to handle Landmark's cig-
ents, she said. HRS is pushing for a four-year time
frame and would like to phase out all four state-run
centers instead of just Landmark, she said.
. Thefts said they are worried about supervl-
sion/suality'~of care and availability oi medical set-
Vtce~JW'ff/'~p' homes. They also worried that their
children would be just p!ain bored.
"Everythirig they need is here. It's a community
for the developmentally disabled, where (in group
homes) they can't even meet with their own peers
· except In one house," said parent'Stella Alfa.ssa.
"To me, that's stagnating."
"They are not accepted in the outside communi-
be provided In small settings than in large lnstitu, ty," said June Stevens, who organized the Sunglow*
tions. - er Society to raise {unds for the Lan_~Lmark Ce~
The Landmark Center, on 244 acres in North- f-~¥ney are maoe t6 ieelqltl'd'd'~T~table and ridl-
west Dade, has a staff of 800 tending to 379 clients. I culed.'
The clients live In 10-person cottages, supervised The state estimated it would cost $12 miillon to
by "cottage parents." "This facility has developed tra'nsfer the 379 Landmark clients to group homes.
into one of the finest quality-care facilities in the Landmark's 1984-85 budget was $16 million, partly
state of Florida," said Mayer Finkel, ~ member of in federal and partly.In state funds. Berkowltz said
the governor-appointed l-iuman Rights Advocacy the group homes also would be supported by state
Committee, and father of a Down's syndrome child, funds, but the amount needed was not known.